June 2023

Japanese gift packaging

Because of paulownia's excellent properties (lightness, humidity control, fire resistance, insect resistance, etc.), paulownia boxes " Kiribako " have been used for packaging and storage of traditional crafts, beginning with Buddhist ritual utensils, tea ceremony accessories, kimonos, and other items. It has been used from the Heian period (794-1185） to the present. Since Kiribako and autograph on boxes also play a role in determining whether the items are genuine or not, the perception that "paulownia boxed = expensive" has taken root in Japanese culture. Because of this cultural background, the use of Kiribako became popular not only for crafts but also for Japanese gift packaging few decades ago. For example, […]